Even though we saw the power of the blitzkrieg in Poland, France had a large standing army. They had air power, armor, and allies in-country. Still, we knew better than to bet against the German war machine, the future balancing on a knife edge. Allied armies might still yield to brute force but terrain and distance would surely help them.

And then, the unthinkable.

The punchline; the undeserving brunt of a tired joke

It was over.

But then, occupied France mustered a sustained and massive resistance unlike any other in the war. French citizens numbering at least 200,000 carried out acts of sabotage and espionage, and provided refuge and escape for others. While their contribution during the war can never be quantified - being intentionally clandestine - there is no doubt of their value once the allies landed.

In Crusade in Europe, Dwight D. Eisenhower said, "Throughout France, the Free French had been of inestimable value in the campaign. They were particularly active in Brittany, but on every portion of the front we secured help from them in a multitude of ways. Without their great assistance the liberation of France and the defeat of the enemy in Western Europe would have consumed a much longer time and meant greater losses to ourselves."

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June 6, 1944. On Utah Beach and Omaha Beach, America storms Normandy, and the world will never be the same. It's D-Day, the event that changed the course of history forever. And the explosive story is in these war cards.

America at War: D-Day / Band of Brothers Collectors Cards reveal everything you need to know about the Invasion of Normandy and the battles and valor that came in the wake of Operation Overlord.

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